“You saw the picture.” I didn‘t have to ask him. It was written all over his face. “My brother gave it to me to remind me what happens when I no longer put family first.” It hadn’t been a reminder just for me but the both of us.

“That’s fucked up, but also...” Tex shrugged. “I don’t want to say nice, but it’s clear you guys have each other’s back.”

I nodded.

Tex fidgeted, and I could tell he had a pressing question. I waited for him to finally voice it.

“Did you love him?”

I pulled back and looked Tex in the eyes. My brows dipped as I thought about the question.

“Never mind.” He shook his head and avoided my gaze.

I placed all my weight on one hand, used the other to grip his chin, and turned his head so that he was facing me. “I can’t say that I did. Brycen met many of my needs. He was someone I wanted and even cherished at times.”

Tex stiffened under me again.

“But I could never tell him I loved him.”

Tex searched my face. He must have been found whatever he was looking for because he relaxed under me.

“You didn’t want to do it,” Tex asked.

“Kill Brycen?”

Tex’s face blanched as he stared up at me. His head jerked up and down.

“There is a lot in life we don’t want to do, but we have to.”

Tex bit down his bottom lip, abusing the flesh. I pulled it free and swiped my thumb over it, wanting nothing more than to give in and taste him.

I moved a little, staring into his eyes. “My turn.”

“Your turn?”

“What are you going to do?” I asked. “Now that you know.”

Tex squeezed his eyes shut, and I knew it was too much to ask of him right now. I moved forward and brushed our lips against one another before rolling off him. “Get some sleep. You have today off, so sleep as much as you can.”

“How...” Tex groaned. “Never mind.” He moved and got under the cover next to me.

I grabbed the remote and turned the lights off before hitting another button that closed the curtains. The room was blanketed in darkness. A few seconds ticked by as I stared up at the ceiling. I knew Tex wasn’t asleep yet. His breathing hadn’t evened out.

My stomach clenched. If he leaves this time, will I stop him?

Tex surprised me, moving closer until we were nearly touching. His heat called to me. It was like a moth to a flame. I knew this was bad, yet I didn’t want to pull away. He laid his head on my chest, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened for a second before relaxing. Silence built between us, neither one of us falling asleep or moving.